Man burns shirt, self in downtown Norwich

Norwich - A man sustained minor burns and singed hair this afternoon after lighting his shirt on fire in front of the former YMCA building on Main Street.

Norwich Fire Chief Kenneth Scandariato said when firefighters arrived the man was with police and his smoldering shirt was on the ground. The shirt was extinguished with a pressurized water extinguisher.

“He seemed to be intent on burning himself,” Scandariato said. “He seemed quite agitated. He actually did complain he didn’t have any gasoline.”

Emergency medical crews from American Ambulance attended to the unidentified man at the scene. Scandariatio said it appeared to be a “cry for help.”